NP writers in or headed for U.S. jails

[Doug Millison]

JOURNALISM: US Writer Jailed After Secret Hearing 
After he approved the jailing of a writer for refusing to hand over notes
for a book on a 4-year-old murder case, USA Today wonders if U.S. Attorney
General John Ashcroft is reversing a long-standing policy that allows
journalists to protect their confidential sources. A federal judge, whose
name is being kept secret by the government, has jailed freelance writer
Vanessa Leggett in a secret hearing for refusing to turn over notes, tape
recordings and other material made while researching the book. The
government has claimed that Ms. Leggett, a part-time writing teacher at the
University of Houston, isn't a journalist. "This is a darn significant
case," says Lucy Dalglish, director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom
of the Press. "It's either an important shift in policy, or it shows the
U.S. attorney in Houston is ignorant of a Justice Department policy in
effect since the Nixon administration." 
July 31, 2001 
Source: USA Today 
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washdc/july
01/2001-07-27-ashcroft-journalists-usat.htm 
 

 
FREEDOM OF SPEECH 2: Pedophile Convicted For Offensive Private Writings 
A pedophile on probation in Ohio for offenses involving pornographic photos
of children has been convicted of the same crime, though the offensive
material in the new case was private diary entries found in his home by a
probation officer and not intended for dissemination. Brian Dalton is
believed to be the first person ever convicted in any U.S. jurisdiction for
child pornography involving writings rather than photographs, films or other
images of real children. The Washington Post Writers Group says the decision
also marks a gradual erosion of the constitutional right to possess whatever
written material an individual wishes. 
July 31, 2001 
Source: Washington Post Writers Group via Yahoo! 
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ipgw/20010728/cm/an_appalling_person_with_ghast
ly_tastes_1.html



....from http://www.mediachannel.org/news/today/